Midhurst Footpath Companions
Walking in Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey.

Petworth Park walk on 15th October 2025

Walk around Petworth Park on 15th October 2025.

 

Pauline and Linda took us on our four mile tour of Petworth deer park with plenty of deer and great views of the park and Petworth House.

The Manor of Petworth has been held by the current owners who are descendants of the Percy family, since 1150. The Estates were inherited by the present Lord Egremont, a writer, in 1972. He and his family still live in Petworth House which is open to the public 5 days a week during the summer.  Petworth Park is full of the mounds of yellow meadow ants, often mistaken for molehills. The mounds may be up to 150 years old, a metre deep and act as a nursery for aphids collected by the ants and used as a food source. They are very fond of the larvae of the Chalkhill Blue butterfly as they secrete an especially tasty substance, so the ants take good care of them during the winter.

When we finished we headed up to The Stonemasons pub for an excellent lunch.

Milling around in the car park

A fine specimen

The Yellow Meadow Ant mounds

Horn locking for juniors

Wandering for seniors

Quintessential English scenery

Catching our breath while others catch up

The clouds go

….and then they come back

Coffee break

Beckoning the firmaments (actually watching a kite being chased by smaller birds!)

Enjoying the autumn colours

Lord Egremont’s abode

Walking towards the lake

Scuffing our way through the autumn leaves

Coming down to the lake

View across the lake

Tree sculptures, except there are five!

Route of our 4 mile walk

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